The noon after my last letter was dated we left camp for the Grand Canon at the foot of To-Ro-Weap
Valley. The first camp we made was at Pipe Springs 20 miles. The next day we reached what is called
the Wild Band Pocket 20 miles. It is a gulch with a rock bottom that holds water after the rains and is
frequented by a band of wild horses which we saw in the distance. All places that hold water after rain
are called water pockets. The Wild Band Pocket is situated in as absolute a desert as I ever saw. The
water was thick with a red mud, but was good, and when you want water you are not particular about
the color of it. We shot some rabbits and had a game supper. The wolves were howling all round us but
they did not come near. I ought to mention that we had an Indian guide named Jim, a Pi-Ute with whom
we had a good deal of amusement. His business was to look after the horses of which we had seven with
us. The next day we got into a volcanic country full of old craters and lava and reached the In-nu-pits
peccavo, or Witches pocket in the lava rocks at the foot of Mt. Trumbull where we found a large pocket
of clear water but of bad taste from decomposed vegetation. This day we travelled 35 miles. Luckily
the weather was cool during the whole trip. From our camp at the pocket the wall of the Grand Canon
was visible some 15 miles down the valley. The Indians are very superstitious and Jim did not much
like our camping so near the pocket. During the night I was awakened by a wolf crunching the bones of a
rabbit we had eaten. He was not more than 12 feet from where we were lying, and it being moonlight, I
saw him clearly. Colburn had his gun in bed with him but when I rose up the animal took to his heels and
disappeared. There must have been more than one in camp that night as Colburn's spur had disappeared
having been carried off by a wolf for the leather on it. Indian Jim said that he had a bad dream, that an
Indian shot him and he wanted to clear out very early. About noon we made another water pocket in the
lava rocks about a mile from the Grand Chasm. The water was full of red mud again. After dinner (flour
cake and bacon) we struck out for the Canon. On reaching the brink the whole gorge for miles lay
beneath us and it was by far the most awfully grand and impressive scene that I have ever yet seen. We
had reached the Canon on the second level or edge of the great gulf. Above and around us rose a wall of
2000 feet and below us a vast chasm 2500 feet in perpendicular depth and 1/2 a mile wide. At the bottom
the river very muddy and seemingly only a hundred feet wide seemed slowly moving along but in
reality is a rushing torrent filled with rapids. A suppressed sort of roar comes up constantly from the
chasm but with that exception every thing impresses you with an awful stillness. The color of the Great
Canon itself is red, a light Indian Red, and the material sandstone and red marble and is in terraces all
the way down. All above the canon is variously colored sandstone mainly a light flesh or cream color
and worn into very fine forms. I made an outline and did a little color work but had not time nor was it
worth while to make a detailed study in color. We made several photos which will give me all the details
I want if I conclude to paint the view. We stayed at the Canon all the next day. In the evening Jack
Hillers the photographer was bringing a canteen of water from the pocket when a huge rattlesnake
glided between his feet and he got a thorough scare. We searched for the snake with some burning sage
brush and I killed it with a stone. It measured fully 3 1/2 feet long. The stone mashed the rattles so we
could not tell how many he had. On our trip to the Virgin River Jack had another narrow escape from a
rattlesnake. He was talking to me and had both his elbows right over a rattler which Colburn shot. The
Indian boy I told you had been bitten by one died after living nearly 3 days. We left the Canon pocket for
camp at the In-nu-pits peccavo, and Indian Jim was very desirous that we should go somewhere else to
camp as he said the little imps would hurt the horses as well as ourselves, but we told him the
In-nu-pits were all dead long ago and we finally pacified him, though I don't think he slept much. Just
after supper Colburn sitting by the fire found a large Tarantula beside him. He cleared out in a hurry
and we killed him. This was the third Tarantula we killed. Between snakes and Tarantulas it made us
feel a little uncomfortable at night down there, but we are very careful and there is but little danger of
our getting bitten. The next day we cam back to the Wild Band pocket and it rained on us all afternoon
and night. Yesterday we reached camp, having been away 8 days on the trip. When we got back we
found Maj. Powell had arrived and he had all the Indians in camp and all the squaws making Indian
toggery for him. He is going to get me an Indian suit made. This afternoon the Major and I are going up
toward the Virgin River on a little trip to see some lakes in caverns about 7 miles from here and shall
return this evening. Tomorrow morning a party of 8 including Colburn, myself, and Powell start for the
Ki-bab plateau to see the Grand Canon at that point. It is 3500 feet deep at that point, and I am inclined
to think it is a finer subject for a picture than the To-Ro-Weap view. This trip will take 8 days and I
shall then be ready to come home. If I come down here again you must come too. You would just go wild
over what there is to see here, and it is perfectly safe though a pretty hard trip to make. I have just
received your letters, 4 in all, and the first I have gotten.I am so glad that everything is all right
with you. I am sorry that Archie has to go to work in the way he has. The Major is waiting for me to go
to the Lakes so I must close. I had a good many things to say but must cut short. This is perhaps the last
letter I shall write from here as I expect to start for home on my return from the Ki-bab. Work hard to
improve your drawing dear as I shall have plenty of work for you this coming winter. 70 drawings for Powell, 40 for Appleton,
4 for Aldine, 20 for Scribner's all from this region beside the water colors and oil pictures. Kisses and
love to you all